Southampton’s metalcore band, Bury Tomorrow, return to Manchester’s O2 Ritz. Accompanied by Crystal Lake, Cane Hill and 36 Crazyfists, Bury Tomorrow tear down the Ritz. I thought this would be a tough gig to shoot, and I was right. I have never been landed on by so many crowd-surfers in such a small period of time. Couple this with trying to shoot a band who had purposefully raised the stage…
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Achieving merely joint third place in works Christmas quiz because I could not remember the eighth reindeer, was a little annoying. This office based disaster could have been avoided if Gerard Way’s latest single had been released just a few days earlier – it being called Dasher – that forgotten sleigh puller. Very much a Christmas track, it isn’t just about the reindeer. As Way explained, “Dasher is about a…
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Some of the picks of the year are here…. It’s been safe to say that 2018 has been another great music year. Many, many contenders for the usual end of year lists which everyone either agrees or disagrees with. And here at Flick Of The Finger, we are no different! But instead of numbers, this special edition of Throw Back Thursday concentrates on the albums that got your attention, as…
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DMA’s treat Manchester to something special. A spectacular night of music, with an even more spectacular atmosphere. DMA’s have come a long way in their not so long career, and the people of Manchester really know it. In 2015, they played the tiny Night and Day Cafe, and last night they played a 3,500 capacity warehouse. If that doesn’t show how much this band have grown in the past 3/4…
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As they come into the final week of their triumphant November-December European tour with Black Stone Cherry and The Cadillac Three, Monster Truck have announced they will be returning in April-May 2019 for a 25 date headline European tour. They will be calling through the UK, Luxembourg, Belgium, The Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, France, Poland, Austria, Denmark, Norway and Sweden. The Canadian juggernaut will be playing songs form their new album…
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Music affects us emotionally, physically and spiritually and our enjoyment should never be measured by anything more than the pleasure or any other emotion we deride from it: even when so much music fully exceeds this boundary. So with no shame, no superseding with ‘my guilty pleasure is’, this dyed in the wool punk rock indie kid likes pop music too. So, with both surprise and excitement the news that…
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Mascot Label Group/Provogue are thrilled to announce the signing of soul and jazz guitar legend George Benson, with a new album scheduled for a Spring 2019 release. The 10 time Grammy Award winner and NEA Jazz Master is one of the greatest guitarists in jazz history and has released 35 studio albums, including the multi-platinum Billboard #1 ‘Breezin.’ He has also had a string of hits to his name including…
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On 8th February 2019, Eric Gales returns with his brand new album ‘The Bookends’ on Provogue/Mascot Label Group Bookends features collaborations with B. Slade, Doyle Bramhall II and Beth Hart. The challenge for making ‘The Bookends’ was for Gales to challenge himself. “As a guitar player it’s been established that I can play a little bit, just a little bit,” he smiles. But for this album he not only wanted…
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The award winning Finnish rockers Von Hertzen Brothers are currently in the UK for the ‘War Is Over Tour Part 2’. They have already included playing Planet Rockstock, as well as a headline run of 7 shows and supporting the mighty Uriah Heep on 5 shows. Von Hertzen Brothers latest album War Is Over is a sprawling cinematic wonder that poses many questions, one of those is – what are…
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The Sleeper boys and girls are back The year was 1998. New Labour were in power, Glenn Hoddle had taken England to the World Cup in France, leaving Paul Gascoigne at home and Britpop was still riding high musically. It was also the last time we heard from Sleeper, one of the era’s poster bands. Until now. Yup, Sleeper are back after a very long absence. Louise Wener is still…
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A Look At The Specials Board… Alright, I’ll admit it. I’m not a fan of the word, ‘iconic’. Overused by too many folk… But I’m gonna have to use it at least once, because I’m gonna introduce to you a song called, Vote For Me. And who is behind it? The iconic 80’s ska kings, The Specials. Yes indeed, Coventry’s finest are back and are in fine fettle. Terry Hall, Horace Panter…
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Sly Antics bring the roof down on the iconic Star and Garter The band have been around a few years now, but last night was something different Sly Antics have done quite well for themselves, their music is loved and their fans are devoted to being at the gigs and singing their hearts out as Sam, Lee and Chris played the songs the fans came for, but last night, Sly…
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Two of North Wests finest bring their 21,000 fans to Manchester Arena for a night of new music, nostalgia and Extraordinary Times… With a joint history of 65 years between both bands, a collective of 22 studio albums and a back catalog that is overflowing with anthems – was the night was set to be one of the most rememberable Manchester Arena had seen? As The Charlatans take to the…
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Tonight, the sad news broke of the death of Pete Shelley, the talisman of Manchester punk legends, The Buzzcocks. He was 63 years old. Pete Shelley, born Peter Campbell McNeish, first came to prominence with The Buzzcocks in 1976, when they supported the now infamous Sex Pistols show at the Free Trade Hall in Manchester. He had formed The Buzzcocks the year before with Howard Devoto, and it wasn’t until…
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It wasn’t meant to happen. In fact, the band had promised each other it never would. On 22nd March 2019, Sleeper release their first album in 21 years, ‘The Modern Age’… “We had no plan to get back together. Sometimes life throws you a massive curve ball. You end up jumping off the cliff, just to see what it feels like.”: Singer, Louise Wener The band spent summer 2018 recording…
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Brighton’s progressive rockers Black Peaks have announced a 2019 UK headline tour taking place throughout February. Black Peaks release their second album, in October, entitled All That Divides (released via Rise Records/BMG) it was meant with a great deal of critical acclaim. Upset Magazine’s crowned the album their Album Of The Year and All That Divides also made the best album lists with, among others, The Independent and Metal Hammer.…
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Long Island’s post-hardcore emo rockers Taking Back Sunday have announced a special series of live dates for 2019. Adam Lazzara, John Nolan, Shaun Cooper, and Mark O’Connell (Taking Back Sunday) will spend a year celebrating their 20th anniversary as a band. Time to get excited because those revelries includes seven U.K dates starting at Birmingham’s O2 Institute on 13th June 2018: tickets for all dates go on sale this Friday…
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“Whether this is your first show, or your tenth show, tonight under this roof you are all TesseracT family”. Eager fans gathered together at Birmingham’s o2 Institute to catch TesseracT perform an outstanding show, with an impressive lightshow as an added bonus. Bringing Plini and Beyond the Buried and Me as supports, TesseracT bought a new lease of life to the venue. Upon entering the venue, Plini with their live…
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Ocean Colour Scene, deliver an early Christmas present, in a masterclass of Indie rock at its best! Ocean Colour Scene, the stalwarts of 90’s Britpop nostalgia, take to the stage for the second sold out evening at Manchester’s Albert Hall. The support act for tonight may have surprised a few people, Martha Reeves and the Vandellas, of legendary Motown fame. I would love to know how this deal went down?…
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Geoff Tate’s Operation Mindcrime’s highly acclaimed Operation: Mindcrime tour has found its way up north to Leeds tonight as he plays the intimate Brudenell Club. For fans of the album, this is one hell of a treat as Tate celebrates 30 years since its first release. Tonight is a family affair with Tates own daughter Emily heading up Till Death Do Us Part. The band’s music takes on a much darker…
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